Sources on Shekhinah 1: Biblical and Talmudic

(8) And let them make Me a Holy Place [mikdash], that I may dwell [v'shakhanti] among them.

(34) And the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence [kavod] of the LORD filled the Dwelling Place [mishkan]. (35) Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had come to dwell [shakhan] upon, it and the Presence of the LORD filled the Dwelling Place. (36) When the cloud lifted from the Dwelling Place, the Israelites would set out on all their journeys. (37) But if the cloud did not lift, they would not set out until the day it lifted. (38) For the cloud of the LORD would be upon the Dwelling Place by day, and fire would be within it by night, in the sight of the entire house of Israel in all their journeys.

(9) There was nothing inside the Ark but the two tablets of stone which Moses placed there at Horeb, when the LORD made [a covenant] with the Israelites after their departure from the land of Egypt. (10) When the priests came out of the Holy Shrine [hakodesh]—for the cloud had filled the House of the LORD (11) and the priests were not able to remain and perform the service because of the cloud, for the Presence [kavod] of the LORD filled the House of the LORD— (12) then Solomon declared: “The LORD has decided to dwell [lishkon] in thick mist: (13) I have now built for You a lofty house, a site where You may reside forever.” (14) Then, with the whole congregation of Israel standing, the king turned around and blessed the whole congregation of Israel. (15) He said: “Praised be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled the promise He made to my father David."

[later continuation of the above passage]

(27) “But will God really dwell on earth? Even the heavens and the heavens above the heavens cannot contain You, how much less this house that I have built! (28) Yet turn, O LORD my God, to the prayer and supplication of Your servant, and hear the cry and prayer which Your servant offers before You this day. (29) May Your eyes be open day and night toward this house, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there’ so that You listen to the prayers which Your servant will offer toward this place. (30) And when You hear the supplications which Your servant and Your people Israel offer toward this place, give heed in Your heavenly place—listen and pardon.

(11) But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there a prophet of the LORD here, through whom we may inquire of the LORD?” One of the servants of the king of Israel spoke up and said, “Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah, is here.” (12) “The word of the LORD is with him,” said Jehoshaphat. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. (13) Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why should we have anything to do with each other? Go to your father’s prophets or your mother’s prophets.” But the king of Israel said, “No, for the LORD has brought these three kings together only to deliver them into the hands of Moab.” (14) “As the LORD of Hosts lives, whom I serve,” Elisha answered, “were it not that I respect King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I wouldn’t look at you or notice you. (15) Now then, get me a musician.” As the musician played, the hand of the LORD came upon him, (16) and he said, “Thus said the LORD: This wadi shall be full of pools. (17) For thus said the LORD: You shall see no wind, you shall see no rain, and yet the wadi shall be filled with water; and you and your cattle and your pack animals shall drink.

This teaches you that Shekhinah rests [upon a prophet] neither through sadness, nor through idleness, nor through laughter, nor through levity, nor through chatter, nor through wasteful matters, but only through something involving the joy of a mitzvah​, as it is stated: "But now bring me a musician. And when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him" (II Kings 3:15).

Rabbi Hananiah ben Teradion says: If two sit together and there are no words of Torah [spoken] between them, then this is a session of scorners, as it is said: “Nor does he sit in the seat of the scornful [rather, the teaching of the Lord is his delight]” (Psalms 1:1). But if two sit together and there are words of Torah between them, then Shekhinah dwells among them, as it is said: “Then those that fear the Lord spoke one with another; and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon His name” (Malachi 3:16). From this I only know about two, how do we know that even one person who sits and studies Torah the Holy One who is blessed assigns him reward? As it is said: “Though he sit alone and [meditate] in stillness, yet he takes [a reward] for himself” (Lamentations 3:28).

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yonatan said: Any judge who renders a judgment in complete truth [emet] causes Shekhinah to dwell in Israel, as it is stated: “God stands in the congregation of God; in the midst of the judges He judges” (Psalms 82:1). And any judge who does not render a judgment in complete truth causes Shekhinah to depart from Israel, as it is stated: “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, says the Lord” (Psalms 12:6). And Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yonatan said: Any judge who takes from one person and gives to another not according to the law, the Holy One who is blessed takes his soul from him.

The emperor [or "a heretic"] said to Rabban Gamliel: You [Rabbis] say that the Shekhinah dwells wherever there are ten [Jews]. Just how many Shekhinahs are there?! Rabban Gamliel summoned a servant and struck him on the neck. Rabban Gamliel said to him: Why did [you allow] the sun to enter the house of the emperor? The emperor said: The sun resides over the whole world! Rabban Gamliel replied: And if the sun, which is one of the myriad servants of the Holy One who is blessed be, resides over the whole world, the Shekhinah of the Holy One so much the more so!

(5) Rabbi Meir said: When a human being suffers, what expression does Shechinah use, so to speak? "My head hurts me, my arm hurts me!" If the Place [a name for God] suffers this way over the blood of the wicked when it is spilled [this Mishnah chapter is about executing criminals], how much the more so over the blood of the righteous! And not only this, rather, anyone who allows his deceased relative to spend the night [without burial] violates a negative commandment. But if he allowed this for the honor of the deceased, to bring him a coffin or shrouds, he does not transgress for this.